La Caudrina, Moscato d’Asti 2008 There’s a lovely sense of orange blossoms in the nose while the mouth is sweet and ethereal – very nice. Estate bottled in Castiglione Tinella 5.5% $15.99 at Bottle Barn

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Robert Mondavi, Napa Valley, Moscato d’Oro 2007 In the nose you’ll find a light waft of the orange blossoms we associate with Muscat. In the mouth the wine is clean and fruity, a light expression of Muscat as dessert, fresh and well-suited for fresh fruit after dinner. The grape behind this wine is Muscat Canelli. [...]

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Chambers Rosewood Vineyards, Rutherglen, Muscat nv The nose smells of oranges and brown spices, as if wound into a custard. In the mouth the wine is rich, very complex, soft and luxurious. This wine and others like it from Rutherglen are a great value, giving you a great sense of complexity for the price. Lot [...]

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Il Conte d’Alba, Moscato d’Asti DOCG nv This wine smells of ginger and flowers while in the mouth it is sweet and lightly fizzy. It’s almost perfect except for a bit of TCA which unfortunately is adding a bit of wet cardboard and astringency. Fortunately the second bottle was on target. Bottled in Santo Stefano [...]

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Martin & Weyrich, California, Moscato, Allegro 2007 The orange blossoms are alight in the glass when you pick it up. In the mouth it is light, airy, fruity, flowery, sweet and delightful. Fermentation was stopped early to lock in the sugar from the vine. We visited with the winemaker a few years ago and this [...]

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La Spinetta, Moscato d’Asti DOCG, Bricco Quaglia 2008 Heaven in a glass, with plenty of flowers, lovely sweetness, light effervesence and freshness all day. This is a personal favorite from the legend. I was blessed to meet Rivetti before the skyrocket to fame. This wine remains an affordable way to taste some of this estate’s [...]

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Martini & Rossi, Asti DOCG nv The fruit is rather muted in this wine, smelling mildly of citrus overlayed with butter. In the mouth it is buttery, almost oily, with the fruit in the background. The grapes are all Moscato Bianco. Produced in Torino 7.5% $13.99 at Traverso’s Martini & Rossi

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I Vignaioli di Santo Stefano, Moscato d’Asti DOCG 2008 The orange blossoms are alight in the nose of this wine. On the palate it is beautifully sweet, tasting of tangerines with a dusting of powdered sugar – delicious. The grapes come from Ceretto’s I Vignaioli di Santo Stefano Belbo estate, in the village of the [...]

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deLorimier, Alexander Valley, Estate Bottled, Late Harvest, Lace 2006 This is rich and tropical with a lovely sense of dried apricots and balancing acidity. The botrytised grapes behind the wine are 55% Muscat Blanc and 45% Semillon, harvested at 29.9 degrees brix. The final wine has 126 g/l RS. P&B in Geyserville 11.4% $15.79 for [...]

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Navarro Vineyards, Anderson Valley, Estate Bottled, Dry Muscat 2007 This wine has consistently dazzled with the ebulent smell of Muscat in a dry format. The ‘07 is spot-on again with loads of orange blossom in the nose. In the mouth there’s a sense of eating a tangerine with the acidity of a lemon while the [...]

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Quady, California, Orange Muscat, Electra 2007 This wine features an abundance of citrus in a very fresh way, as if you were cutting open an organge. There’s plenty of sweetness to pair this with a fresh fruit tart or just the fruit if you’re living life on the healthier side. The taste profile is balanced [...]

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Robert Hall, Paso Robles, Margaret’s Vineyard, Orange Muscat 2008 This is sweet smelling perfume in a bottle. This is the lighter side of dessert wine with an RS level that is just above what we might call semi-sweet table wine – very fresh.  The 2007 version had 4.5% Rs and the 2006 was only 4.3% [...]

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Bonterra, Lake County, Bartolucci Vineyard, Muscat 2007 The muscat perfume is there though not as vibrant and fresh as in previous incarnations. The mouth is moderately sweet and medium bodied, tasting of sweet ginger ale. This wine brings back memories of when the you could taste it at the beautiful Valley Oaks facility. The grapes [...]

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Quady, California, Essensia, Orange Muscat 2007 Citrus, flowers and herbal notes and a hint of the fortifying spirit mark the nose. The mouth is fresh and citrussy, sweet but not cloying with a little appropriate warmth. P&B in Madera 15% $14.99 at Traverso’s for a 375ml

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La Spinetta, Moscato d’Asti DOCG, Bricco Quaglia 2007 This is a personal favorite from the legend. I was blessed to meet Rivetti before the skyrocket to fame. This wine remains an affordable way to taste some of this estate’s expertise. The White Muscat is sourced from Bricco Quaglia, the first single vineyard Moscato in Italy. [...]

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deLorimier, Alexander Valley, Estate Bottled, Late Harvest, Lace 2004 The nose combines bananas, caramel and minerality. The mouth is viscous without being cloying showcasing the tropical fruit in a rich way, as if dazzled with honey. The botrytised grapes behind the ‘04 are 56% Semillon, 24% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Muscat, 169 g/l RS. GP&B [...]

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James David, Paso Robles, Penman Springs Vineyard, Muscat Blanc 2007 There’s a great variety of floral notes, from the sweet ones like honesuckle to roses and spicey numbers. The mouth is light-bodied and citrusy with a real sense of eating those flowers – a nice dry aperitif. 14.4% $18 at the winery

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Maculan, Veneto Moscato IGT, Dindarello 2006 There’s the sweet smells of orange blossom and ginger and a thick while vibrantly fruity palate – delicious. The grapes are all Muscat from the Dindarello Vineyard in Breganze. The grapes are dried for 6 weeks after harvest and the wine is fermented in stainless, 157 grams/litre RS. [...]

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Bonterra, Lake County, Bartolucci Vineyard, Muscat 2004 This wine has been well-made since the good old days when the you could taste it at the beautiful Valley Oaks facility. There are the compelling floral notes associated with Muscat plus some pastry-like complexity with the age of this wine. Unfortunately, one of two bottles was off. [...]

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J, Russian River Valley, cuvee 20 nv Clean, fresh, fruit, tasted at the winery in May. This wine has the zip of fresh green apples. The base wine is from 2003 with 25% oak-aged reserves adding to the final blend. Aged for 3 years on the lees from the 2nd ferment and disgorged in 2007. [...]

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Michele Chiarlo Moscato d’Asti DOCG 2007
Perfect White Muscat smells of orange blossoms and a multitude of other flowers. In the mouth one feels like you’ve just popped a handful of flowers passed your lips, with sweetness and delicacy. P&B in Calamandrana 7% $10.99 for a 375ml at Bottle Barn Chiarlo

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Navarro Anderson Valley Estate Bottle Dry Muscat 2006
This wine has consistently dazzled with the ebulent smell of Muscat in a dry format. Tonight it is perfect again. P&B in the little hamlet of Philo 13.5% $19 at the winery Navarro
Sauvignon Republic Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2006
The Russian River bottling has shown itself [...]

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La Spinetta Moscato d’Asti DOCG 2006
A favorite from the legend. I was blessed to meet Rivetti before the skyrocket to fame. This wine remains an affordable gem, with the essence of Muscat aching for fresh berries on a summer evening. White Muscat estate bottled in Castagnole Lanze 5.5% $17.95 at Traverso’s

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Domaine des Bernardins Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise 2005
Quite complex with apparent alcohol. 100% Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains. Mis par Cave Castaud in Beaumes-de-Venise 15% $12.99 (375ml) at Bottle Barn

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Two Hands Barossa Valley Brilliant Disguise Moscato 2006
This wine shows like Moscato d’Asti, not to the same level of fresh orange blossom as the best from Piedmont, but still in a similar vein. Made from White Frontignac or Muscat Frontignan by Two Hands in Marananga 6.5% $16.49 (500ml) at Bottle Barn Two Hands
Chambers Rosewood [...]

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Chambers Rosewood Vineyards Rutherglen Muscat nv
This wine is concentrated and thick displaying its fruit with great complexity. The raisined grapes come from old vines, some from beginning of 1900s. P&B in Rutherglen Lot#6338 for the first sample and Lot#06039 for today’s sample. 19% $12.69 at Bottle Barn

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Mas Amiel Muscat de Rivesaltes 2005
A vin doux naturel from the esteemed producer in Maury. My notes from early 2007 state: stunning – a fresh and light-bodied dessert wine that brims with Muscat fruit; the alcohol adds body but no burn. Again tonight the alcohol is perfectly integrated but there is evolution away [...]

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La Morandina Moscato d’Asti DOCG 2006
This wine smells of orange blossoms and ginger and tastes sweet while light bodied and ready and willing to accompany your next bowl of raspberries. Bot in Castiglione Tinella in Cuneo 5.5% $17.99 at Traverso’s.
 
Vigne Regali Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG 2005
This wine is sweet and has a bit of [...]

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Robert Hall Paso Robles Margaret’s Vineyard Orange Muscat 2006
A lighter version of dessert wine that is perfect with fresh raspberries.  With only 4.3% RS and a light mouthfeel, this wine could do double duty with spicy prawns in a Thai curry sauce that featured some sweet coconut milk. Hand harvested, whole cluster pressed, fermented 50/50 [...]

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Cantine Rallo Moscato di Pantelleria DOC 2003
This is the second bottle of this vintage tasted this year.  The Muscat comes through (known as Zibibbo in this part of the world).  During the last tasting we placed it side by side with a Passito from Donnafugata and they made a nice contrast.  Both were delicious. The [...]

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